Apparatus for varnishing rubber shoes.



-J. H. WALL.

APPARATUS FOR VABNISHING RUBBER SHOES. uruouzon FILED 111112.11, 1903.

918,228; Patented Apr. 13, 1 09.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN H. WALL, OF BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND.

APPARATUS FOR VARNISHING RUBBER SHOES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. WALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bristol, in the county of Bristol and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Varnishing Rubber Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an improvement in the process of manufacturing rubber shoes and more particularly to an improvement in apparatus for varnishing that class of rubber shoes known to the trade as tennis shoes or similar shoes having rubber heels and solesand cloth uppers.

In the process of manufacturing tennis or similar rubber shoes the varnish has heretofore been applied by hand. This method is slow and expensive, and the varnish may be unevenly applied with liability of spattering the cloth uppers of the shoes with varnish.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved apparatus for varnishing the rubber heels and soles of tennis or similar shoes, whereby the varnish is more evenly and perfectly applied and the shoes varnished in less time than has heretofore been done.

My invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction of an apparatus for varnishing tennis or similar rubber shoes, said apparatus having details of construction, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter and claimed.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved varnishing apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, showing a rubber tennis shoe in the apparatus to illustrate the operation of varnishing the same, and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the apparatus.

In the drawings, a indicates the body of the varnishing apparatus, 1) the light spring grating in the body, and c a rubber tennis shoe shown in position on the spring grating for varnishing the same. The body a is in the form of a shallow rectangular reservoir or pan having the sides 4 4, the ends 5 5, and the flat bottom 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The bodya is filled with a varnishing liquid to a predetermined height, as shown in Fig. 2.

he spring grating 72 is constructed of a plurality of strips 7 7 of spring sheet metal extending lengthwise of the body a and secured to transverse stops of metal 8 8, as

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 11, 1908.

Patented April 18, 1909. Serial N 0. 420,34el.

shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The grating is curved so that the ends of the strips 7 '7 rest on the bottom 6 of the body a and the central portion extends to the surface of the varnish when in its normal position, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, or above the surface of the varnish. The tennis shoe 0 has the usual rubber heel and sole 9 and 10 which extend upward onto the canvas upper 11, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the operation of my improved varnishing apparatus a tennis shoe 0 on the usual last is placed centrally lengthwise on the light spring grating b and pressed downward with the grating into the varnish until the surface of the varnish coincides with the line or juncture of the rubber heel and sole with the canvas upper of the shoe, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. The operator still holding the required pressure on the shoe now rolls the shoe on the grating toward the toe of the shoe until the shoe reaches approximately the position as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, when the varnished shoe is removed from the apparatus and the spring grating assumes its normal position.

In practice I iind that by the use of my improved varnishing apparatus the varnish 1s flowed evenly and uniformly over the enout liability of spotting the cloth upper of the shoes and the shoes are varnished in less time than has heretoforebeen done, thereby improving the appearance and reducing the cost of varnishing this class of rubber shoes.

It is evident that any form of a spring element may be used for yieldingly supporting the shoe in the varnish without materially affecting the spirit of my invention.

From the above it will be observed that since the shoe support is composed of a spring body formed of strips which have a curved conformation so that their ends may slide on the bottom of the receptacle 6, I dispense eni tirely with the use of separate spiral, coil, or other springs whatsoever. In other words the shoe support due to its curved conform ation and fiuther due to its being formed of spring material, performs not only the func tion of a shoe support, but in addition provides the spring means which in the prior art, are separate, and distinct from and do not form a component and inseparable part of the shoe support, as in this invention.

Having thus described my invention, I

tire exposed rubber surface of the shoes withclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An apparatus for varnishing rubber shoes composed of a receptacle, and an arcshaped spring, shoe supporting element in said receptacle, said element being supported by engagement of its ends on the bottom of said receptacle.

2. An apparatus of the type set forth composed of a receptacle, and a depressible element in said receptacle composed of a series of spaced curved spring strips having their ends arranged to slide on the bottom of said receptacle.

3. An apparatus of the type set forth composed of a receptacle, and a spring element in said receptacle having its ends arranged to slide on the bottom of said receptacle Whereby said element may be depressed at points intermediate its ends.

4. An apparatus for varnishing rubber shoes composed of a varnish containing rcceptacle, and a shoe support composed of a spring body in said receptacle, said body having a curved conformation whereby the ends lazes of the shoe may be rocked on the curve of said body to submerge the same the desired depth in the varnish.

5. An apparatus of the type set forth composed of a receptacle, of arc-shape arranged in spaced relation in said receptacle and having their ends movably bearing on the receptacle bottom, and a series of transverse strips connecting said first named strips.

6. In a shoe varnishing apparatus, the combination of the following instrumentalities; a body a in the form of a rectangular pan adapted to hold a varnishing liquid and a curved spring grating 1) adapted to rest and slide at its ends on the bottom of the pan and to yieldingly support a shoe in the varnish, as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JGHN H. WALL. Witnesses:

ADA E. HAGERTY, J. A. MILLER.

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